With less than three weeks until the NFL trade deadline, the Carolina Panthers can make a move or moves to further bolster their roster as they pursue a second straight NFC South title.
Off to a 3-2 start to the year, Carolina has been one of the league's biggest surprises so far, maybe not because of the record, but because of how they got here.
The offense has been elite, led by QB Bryce Young, who is leading the NFL in passing yards per game, and is the only QB throwing for 300+ per game in the NFL.
Chuba Hubbard has regained his 2024 form, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and posting 6 total touchdowns in five games.
The offensive success is real, and OC Brad Idzik is on fire calling plays in his first season as the playcaller.
All that said, this roster still has holes, areas to clean up, and rooms heavily affected by injury. What better time to improve the roster than at the trade deadline, when teams are willing to sell on talented players.
Over the next three years, Carolina owns all but two of its draft picks and has the Vikings' fourth-round pick in the upcoming draft.
So the Panthers aren't short on draft compensation to make a deal happen, and there's clearly a belief that, given how good the offense is, they can beat top teams in the league. So where would the Panthers look if they made a move at the trade deadline? The answer is obvious.
Carolina Needs to Add a Cornerback
Both Mike Jackson and Jaycee Horn are out for the foreseeable future. The hope is that the Panthers will get them both back in the latter half of the season, but nothing is guaranteed. Carolina currently ranks 19th in the NFL in pass defense.
Will Lee III has been solid since taking an elevated role, but he still has rookie moments where receivers beat him, most recently last Sunday, when Devonta Smith caught a 19-yard touchdown over him to make it a one-score game.
Carolina will continue to play elite receivers. In just a month, Carolina will face guys like Matthew Golden, Chris Olave, Zay Flowers, and more great pass-catchers. The secondary will need reinforcements.
Our staff has mentioned many corners that make sense for Carolina. It could be a reunion with Chargers corner Donte Jackson, a veteran on the worst team in the NFL who still has good football left in him. A name like Keishon Nixon of the Packers, who is versatile, still 29, and in the last year of his contract, also makes sense.
Those are just two examples of corners who would make sense for Carolina. No matter who the target is, the Panthers have 20 days to get a deal done and keep the secondary afloat while Jackson and Horn recover.
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